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Be mesmerised by the magic of the Philippines on this nine-day tour from Manila to Palawan. Explore one of the greenest cities in the country, trek to the Batak tribe to meet some locals, stroll white-sand beaches and island hop around El Nido. This is a beach getaway abounding with natural beauty, stunning landscapes and beautiful, vibrant culture.

Lock in your 2019 holiday for only £50!

Lock in your 2019 holiday for only £50!

Offer applies to trips departing before 14 December 2019.

1. GBP50 deposit offer must be redeemed between 15 January and 28 February 2019 and can be used on any 2019 trip with departure before 14 December.
2. Offer excludes Christmas departures from 14 December – 31 December 2019.
3. The deposit can be used towards any Intrepid small group adventure and Intrepid short breaks, with the below exclusions: Polar trips – includes all itineraries in the Arctic and Antarctica; Private groups; Gorilla treks where pre-purchased permits are required to secure the trek to see the Gorillas. Excluded trips are: Gorillas & Game Parks (YXOG), Gorillas, Game Parks & Beaches (YXOCC), Gorillas to Vic Falls (YXOIC), Africa Encompassed Southbound (YXOEC), Beaches, Game Parks & Gorillas (YXOGC), Vic Falls to Gorillas (YXOFC), Africa Encompassed Northbound (UXODC), Uganda Gorilla Short Break: Basix (YGAG), Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda (YGAR); Inca Trail trips where pre-purchased permits are required to secure the trek. Excluded trips are: Classic Peru (GGSD), Epic Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia (GGYQC), Epic Ecuador to Argentina via The Inca Trail (GGYCC), Epic Peru, Bolivia & Argentina (GGYBC), Epic Peru to Brazil (GGYDC), Epic South America (GGYEC), Essential Peru (GGYE), Essential Quito to Lima (GGYQ), Explore Peru & Bolivia (GGSUC), Galapagos & Inca Trail Adventure (GGTWC), Galapagos & Peru Adventure (GGSYC), Inca Encounter (GGKY), Inca Trail (GGTBC), Inca Trail & Amazon (GGSEC), Inca Trail Express (GGTA), Inca Trail Extension (GGHC), Machu Picchu Explorer (GGHT), Majestic Peru (GGKP), One Week in Peru (GGYC), Peru, Chile & Argentina Explorer (GGCLC), Peru Encompassed (GGSA), Peru Essentials (GGBL), Peru Family Holiday (GGFB), Real Peru (GGYA), Real Peru to Bolivia (GGYP), Sacred Land of the Incas (GGSQ), Six Days on the Inca Trail (GGYM). Normal deposits apply to these trips.
4. All trips from the 18 to 29s range (unless mentioned above) have a standard low deposit of £49 which will not change during this campaign.
5. Balance is payable within 56 days of departure except for Intrepid Adventure Cruising departures which are payable within 90 days of departure.
6. Full name of passengers must be provided at time of booking. Passengers are not able to hold multiple departures for overlapping dates.
7. Offer applies to land element of tour only and cannot be redeemed against international flights.
8. The offer can only be applied to new bookings. Under no circumstances will the offer be applied to existing bookings or used in conjunction with another offer or discount.
9. Deposit amount is payable per person.
10. If the traveller wishes to change dates or tours, they will be required to pay the full GBP200 deposit (GBP300 deposit for Adventure Cruising) towards the new trip. This is applicable even inside the promotional period.
11. Prices, itineraries and inclusions are subject to change without notice. Standard booking conditions apply as per Intrepid website, www.intrepidtravel.com.
12. The trip is subject to availability and confirmation by Intrepid Travel at time of booking.
13. This offer is valid for residents of the United Kingdom.

Why you'll love this trip

Contrast the chaos of Manila with the relaxed way of life in Palawan. This is a part of the world that's yet to be overloaded with tourists

Enjoy a full day of island hopping and snorkelling off the coast of El Nido. Look to the bottom of these clear waters, and glide among the coral and tropical fish

Experience a unique meeting with one of Palawan's great indigenous groups, the Batak tribe. Interact with the locals of the village and witness daily life as it is today

This trip includes a sightseeing tour of the Philippine capital of Manila, giving you a taste of what it has to offer. You'll even whizz around the streets in an authentic jeepney

Is this trip right for you?

The Island of Palawan is less developed than other South East Asian countries, so you might experience delays when ordering food at local restaurants and major festival periods can cause a hold-up in travel journeys. Despite the possibilities of delays, the laid back nature of this destination is well worth the wait.

Gallery

Itinerary

Welcome to Manila, Philippines. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. You can arrive at any time during the day as there are no activities planned until this important meeting, so please check with the hotel reception or the reception noticeboards for where and when it will take place. If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader. If you have free time to explore before the meeting, Manila is an intriguing, bustling and overwhelmingly chaotic city. With contradictions and surprises around every corner, Manila is packed full of things to see, do, taste and experience. Perhaps head out with the group in the evening to sample foods like lechon (whole roasted pig) and longganisa (Philippine sausage).

Notes: If you can't arrange a flight that will have you arrive at the hotel by early evening, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included

Start the morning with a fun ride in a local jeepney through the streets of Manila, which are the most popular local form of transport in the Philippines. Start today's adventure with a visit to San Aguistin Church, the oldest stone built church located in the historical walled Intramuros in Manila. Continue onto Casa Manila, which is a colonial lifestyle museum that provides a glimpse into what it was like to live in Manila in the 19th century. From here travel to Fort Santiago; a Spanish Military Fortress that was built and reinforced for over 200 years. In the afternoon take the short flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa, which takes around an hour and twenty minutes. On arrival, you'll instantly see the slower pace of this island compared to busy Manila. 'Puerto', as the locals call it, is the capital of Palawan and has been internationally recognised as Philippines cleanest and greenest of all cities in the Philippines. Palawan has some amazing seafood restaurants, so perhaps head out in the evening and give one a try.

Accommodation

Guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities

Manila - City Tour San Agustin Church, Casa Manila, Fort Santiago

Meals Included

Head out this morning in a private mini van and drive to Sabang, which should take about an hour and fifty minutes. Sabang is most famous for it's Subterranean River that's 8 kilometres in length and passes through a magnificent limestone cave that opens onto the ocean. Jump into a boat with a local guide and explore this great cave complex, and remember to bring a camera. After lunch you may want to do the optional Mangrove Boat trip which gets you into the heart of the thick mangrove forests. You will travel in small traditional boats down the river with plenty of opportunity of wildlife spotting. After a 40 minute drive you arrive at your private beach for the next 2 nights. San Rafael beach has basic beach cottages with private ensuite facilities.

Accommodation

Beach Chalet (1 night)

Included Activities

Sabang - Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat trip

Optional Activities

Sabang - Mangrove River Tour - PHP250

Meals Included

This morning you meet up with your local guide who'll be walking with the group to meet the Batak Tribe - one of about 70 indigenous peoples of the Philippines. The trek will take around two to three hours in total and we leave early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat. The trek is generally quite flat with only small rises along the way, but the path is quite rocky so shoes with a good grip is recommended. There's quite a few river crossings today, so sandals with a back strap and decent grip would be ideal if you don't want to get your shoes wet. If you're lucky enough to be there in the right season, you may be able to eat the fruit directly from the cashew trees. After finishing the hike, drive back to the beach chalets in San Rafael beach. There's plenty of free time for swimming in the waters or reading a good book.

Accommodation

Beach chalet (1 night)

Included Activities

Sabang - Batak Tribe trek

Meals Included

Say farewell to San Rafael Beach today and travel to El Nido in a private mini van (approximately five hours). With a backdrop of marble cliffs to it's white sandy beaches and crystal clear water, El Nido town is the base for many island adventures. There are over 50 beaches to discover that are all accessible by the boats docked. It's quite easy to pick an isolated beach, book a local boat, pack some food and drinks, and head out on your own adventure. The afternoon is free for you to wander around town, have a drink at one of the many beach side restaurants, do a spot of shopping or count how many different coloured tricycles you can spot on the streets.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included

This morning head off on a full day snorkelling trip, island hopping off El Nido. Witness jagged limestone islands, rocky coves, virgin rainforest and white sandy beaches. The snorkelling is just as spectacular, with beautiful coral and many different species of fish. After an included lunch, venture out on various trips to lagoons throughout the day. Your evening is then free to do as you wish.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

El Nido - Island Hopping boat trip with snorkelling

Meals Included

You'll have plenty of free time today in El Nido for beach loving activities. If you feel like some more adventure then hire a kayak from El Nido town or jump on a boat out to one of the lagoons. You'll kayak on turquoise, crystal clear water, lagoons with dramatic cliffs or past pristine, untouched beaches - where you'll see a plethora of tropical fish. If you want to see a picture perfect beach take an optional trip to Nacpan beach. White sand and lined with palm trees this is another beach in paradise and worth the drive out of town. Your leader can help you organise transport to this beach if you are interested. Jump on a bike and get pedaling around El Nido town. Bike hire can be organised locally for a small fee.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Optional Activities

El Nido - Kayak Hire - PHP700

El Nido - Bike hire - PHP500

Meals Included

Say goodbye to your island paradise and travel back to Puerto Princesa in a private mini van (approximately six hours). Tonight, you'll finish the trip with a special treat. Travel for around 45 minutes out of Puerto Princesa to the Iwahig River, where you'll see fireflies glowing among the mangroves by the river. It's a truly magical experience and it's the perfect way to end a trip. Head out tonight for your final dinner together as a group, at a local restaurant called Kainato. This is a restaurant that supports the community and employs some people who have disabilities, so please be patient with the staff.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.